


Into the Deep

by mrswellrested



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Beach House, Developing Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Mutual Pining, Romance, Summer, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:00:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 20,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27332317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrswellrested/pseuds/mrswellrested
Summary: Olivia joins Elliot and his kids on a family vacation. Post season 11. EO.
Relationships: Olivia Benson/Elliot Stabler
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Some background: This takes place between seasons 11 and 12 and Elliot is newly divorced. This is heavily inspired by the family vacations I've been taking to the beach since I was a baby. I hope you all enjoy!

New York City was sweltering and according to the forecast, it wasn't about to cool down anytime soon.

Elliot couldn't remember it ever being this hot before. He stuck his face in front of the small fan on his desk hoping it would whisk away the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. The air conditioning in the precinct died a week before and everyone was miserable. He looked down at the calendar on his desk and stared at the box labeled July 24. The word "VACATION" was written in big red letters and a line went from the 24th to the 31st. He couldn't wait to leave the city behind and spend a week at the beach with his kids.

He took a vacation every year with his family. At first, he was against it. He was entirely too busy with work and his cases, but eventually, he came to appreciate the week way from the one-six. This year was no different, save for the fact he was now divorced and Kathy wouldn't be joining them on the trip. Elliot thought about canceling the annual vacation but decided against it. The family vacation was something the kids looked forward to every year. He didn't want to deprive them of that.

Things would be different without his ex-wife, but he was going to make sure the kids would have the best time possible.

"This heat is going to kill me," his partner's voice came from behind him.

When she came into view, she was holding a cold water bottle to her forehead. She sank into her chair and stuck her face in front of her fan. She looked up from the fan and pulled her hair into a ponytail as she spoke. "I can't wait to go home tonight," Olivia said. She rolled the water bottle across her skin and sighed in relief.

"They're supposed to have the air fixed tomorrow," Elliot said, watching perspiration from the bottle slide down her forehead. "Supposedly."

Olivia snorted. "Yea, we'll see. Did that guy ever call back about the security footage for the Bowman case?"

"Not yet," Elliot answered as he thumbed through the manilla folders stalked on his desk. He pulled out the case file and flipped it open. "We have a number. I can give him a call and see what's the holdup." Just as Elliot reached for his phone, it rang. "Maybe that's him," he said as he picked it up. "Stabler, SVU."

"Dad, it's me," the voice of his oldest child said on the other end of the line.

"Maureen? What's going on? Is everything alright?" Elliot caught Olivia's eye. She sat up in her seat and leaned forward with interest.

"Everything is fine," Maureen answered. "I figured work would be the best place to reach you, sorry I didn't mean to worry you."

"It's fine, honey. Did you need something?"

"Well," Maureen said, pausing for a moment. "I got that job. The one at the counseling center I was telling you about."

"That's great, honey!" Elliot said. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, dad. But they want me to start right away, and I don't want to pass this opportunity up, so I said I would. I'm not going to be able to go on vacation."

Elliot frowned. "Are you sure? You told them this was planned?"

"I did, but as I said, they want me to start right away. Dad, this is going to be really good for my career. And by this time next year, I'll have a week of paid vacation time so I could go on vacation next year. I'm sorry I can't go this year."

"It's okay, Maureen, I understand. You have to do what you have to do. I'm still so proud of you."

"Thanks, dad. I gotta go. I'll talk to you later. Love you!"

"Love you too, kid," he said, as he put the phone down. "Maureen got a new job," he told Olivia.

"That's great. Good for her," Olivia said.

"She can't go on vacation with us this year though. It won't be the same without her."

"You'll still have fun," Olivia said softly. "Hey, I'm going to run this down to the ADA's office. You wanna come?" She stood and picked up a couple of different folders and waited for him to answer.

"No, you go ahead. Enjoy the air conditioning." He smirked, making Olivia laugh. He turned in his seat and watched her walk out of the unit before turning back to the calendar on his desk. An idea struck him and he stood and made his way to the captain's office.

Cragen was working on a pile of paperwork when Elliot tapped on the glass of the opened door with his knuckle. The older man looked up and gestured for Elliot to come in. "Need something?" Cragen asked, putting down his pen and giving the detective his full attention.

"I'm leaving in a couple of days to go on vacation," Elliot began. "Maureen had to back out and it freed up a room in the rental house. I was wondering...if I invited Olivia, and she wanted to go, would you give her the time off?"

Cragen stared at him for a moment. "Nothing is going on between you to that I need to be aware of, is there?"

"What? No. I just figured after the last couple of months she could use a vacation. She had to deal with that standoff with Sophie Gerard and our cases haven't been going that well lately. She could just use a break. The caseload has been light the last couple weeks, so you really don't need either of us here right now," Elliot explained. He thought the captain's question over in his mind. Olivia was his best friend and partner. Sometimes his mind wandered and he thought about what it would be like to be with Olivia, but that was never going to happen. He cared too much about their friendship and partnership to risk losing that.

Cragen sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. "If she agrees to go, I'll give her the time off. She hasn't taken a day off in the last two years."

"Thanks, cap. I'll go ask her and let you know what's going on." Elliot turned and left the office. He glanced at Olivia's desk before grabbing his cellphone and keys and walking out of the unit.

He caught up with Olivia a half-hour later as she was leaving the ADA offices. She was a little surprised to see him standing there waiting for her.

"I thought you didn't want to come," she said.

"Changed my mind. Do you want to go get something to eat? I wanted to ask you something."

Olivia tilted her head slightly out of curiosity. "Sure. Let's go over to Bobby's. They shouldn't be busy right now."

When they arrived at the diner a few minutes later, they took a booth in the back and gave their drink orders to the blonde waitress that came to their table. Olivia looked glanced over the menu once before closing it and pushing it aside. "What's up?"

"You know Maureen can't come on vacation," Elliot started, suddenly feeling nervous. He hadn't been that nervous since asking Kathy to go to the prom with him in their senior year of high school. "I was wondering if maybe you want to come with us?" Elliot saw her open her mouth to speak and put a finger up. "Just wait, hear me out first. That last couple of months have sucked. You had to basically perform surgery on Warner. Our cases have gone cold. You're stressed. Don't argue, I've been your partner for eleven years, I can tell you're stressed. You need a break, Liv."

"Even if I wanted to go, Cragen isn't going to let us both leave at the same time," Olivia said to him.

"I already talked to him about it. He said if you wanted to go, he'd give you the time."

"El...this is your family vacation, I can't intrude on that," Olivia responded as the waitress came back with their drinks. They paused their conversation to give their orders and waited for the woman to leave once more. "I appreciate you asking me, I do, but I can't."

"Just think about it," Elliot said. "You have a couple of days to think it over and decide. The kids love you, Liv. You won't be intruding."

"Fine, I'll think about it," Olivia said after a moment.

Elliot grinned.

* * *

Olivia hadn't decided what she wanted to do. Elliot was right, she needed a break, but she felt weird about going on vacation with him and his family. It's not that she didn't like Elliot's kids. She loved them. And it wasn't like she didn't want to go spend a week at the beach, but she didn't trust herself. Since Elliot's divorce, she found her feelings getting away from herself. The feelings she had for Elliot had always been there. She had a crush on him when she first started in the unit, but as time went on, those feelings grew and ran deeper in her. She would never admit them though, and even now that he was single, she tried to keep them under wraps.

It wasn't as though a romance between two detectives was forbidden. If they were to ever get involved with each other, their partnership would be split up. There was also a possibility one of them could be transferred to the Queens or Brooklyn Special Victims Units. Olivia didn't know if she wanted to risk that. She enjoyed being partnered with Elliot. They shared a trust that Olivia knew she could never have with anyone else.

Olivia sighed and looked at the digital clock on her stove. It was just after ten. The sun had long disappeared from the sky and the night air was beginning to cool. Elliot would be leaving for the beach in just six hours. She still had time to make a decision.

She picked up her cellphone and hit the speed dial for her captain. Cragen would still be awake, but he wouldn't appreciate how late she left her decision.

"Cragen," came the older man's voice from the other end of the line.

"Cap, I'm going with Elliot."

"I had a feeling you were. You're vacation time's already been approved. I'll see you two in a week. You better go pack. Have fun, Olivia."

The line went dead and Olivia hurried to her bedroom to dig out a suitcase from her closet.

It was a quarter to five when Olivia got out of the taxi that dropped her off outside of Elliot's house. She slept a whole three hours before she woke up, showered, and left her apartment. The family minivan was sitting in the driveway with the trunk open. Several duffel bags, suitcases, and grocery bags were piled in the trunk. She rolled her suitcase across the pavement and sat it by the minivan. There was no one inside the vehicle yet and she didn't know if she should go to the door and knock.

Just as she began walking to the front door, it opened and Kathleen stepped out carrying Eli on her hip. She caught sight of Olivia under the porch light and smiled. "You're coming?"

"I'm coming," Olivia replied with a smile.

"This is going to be awesome. We're going to have so much fun, you'll see. Dad's gonna be out in a minute. He's trying to hurry Dick along." Kathleen excused herself and walked around Olivia and to the van where she began to get Eli buckled into his booster seat. No sooner had Kathleen left did the door open again and Elliot and the twins stepped out of the house. The twins each greeted Olivia before going to the van, leaving Olivia alone with Elliot.

"You decided to come," Elliot said, his lips breaking into a smile.

Olivia nodded and smiled back. "You're right, I need a break."

"Well saddle up, we got a long ride a head of us."


	2. Chapter 2

It was about a nine hour ride from Queen to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Olivia questioned why they didn't just fly, but Elliot explained between the cost of tickets, a rental car, and about a four hour drive from the nearest airport to their destination, it was just easier to drive. Olivia couldn't remember if she had ever been in a car for that long. Sometimes they had to drive a couple of hours outside the city, but that was nothing compared to a whole day in the car.

They stopped only two hours into the drive to get breakfast and so everyone could use the restroom. By the time they were all back in the car and back on the road, silence fell amongst them. Olivia watched Elliot's eyes flick up into the rearview mirror and back onto the road.

"They're all sleeping," Elliot said.

Olivia turned in her seat to see for herself. Elliot was right, all four of the Stabler children were napping. Kathleen had her pillow against the window and was resting against it. Eli was leaning sideways in his car seat, and the twins were both sitting upright with their eyes closed and mouths open slightly. Olivia smiled at the scene before turning back in her seat. "How long do you think that will last?" She asked quietly.

"With any luck, the next seven hours," Elliot chuckled. "So, what made you decide to come after all."

"I told you, I need a break," Olivia answered as she watched car after car fly by on the interstate.

"Yea, but you don't take breaks," Elliot responded.

Olivia didn't say anything. She did need a break, but she thought it would be weird to tell him the truth. She wanted to go to spend time with him, to get closer to him. "After the year I had," she eventually said. "I just need some time to relax."

"And relax you will," Elliot said, looking over to her for a moment and then back at the road.

They just crossed over into Virginia when the kids started waking up one by one. Olivia was thankful for their chatter. She and Elliot had been trying to make small talk for a couple of hours just to rid the silence. The noise was pleasant until they entered the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Eli grew scared and began crying as they entered the tunnel that dipped under the bay. Lizzie tried to soothe his crying, but nothing seemed to work. It wasn't until Olivia turned around in her seat and started to distract Eli by making funny faces did he begin to calm down. Once they were out of the tunnels and across the bridge, Eli went back to playing with one of his toys and Olivia turned back in her seat to find Elliot smiling at her.

"You did good," he said.

Olivia smiled and felt a blush spread across her cheeks. "Thanks. I didn't think the silly faces would work."

"You're a natural, Liv. You're going to make a great mother."

Olivia didn't know how to respond. It wasn't the first time Elliot complimented her maternal skills. She always knew Elliot thought she'd make a great mother even when she doubted herself. Olivia hoped one day she would find out how right he was.

"Are we there yet?" Dickie groaned from the back of the van.

"About four more hours," Elliot responded.

The teenager groaned and put his headphones back on and went back to staring out the window. Olivia held in her own groan. She didn't know if she could stand four more hours in the car. She rested her head against the window and closed her eyes.

* * *

They made it into North Carolina, across the Wright Memorial Bridge, and followed Highway 12 down the coast of the Outer Banks to the town of Avon. All of Elliot's children had their eyes glued to the windows, trying to get glimpses of the ocean on the other side of the sand dunes.

"Daddy, birdy!" Eli would say every few seconds when he saw a seagull flying by.

"There are lots of them down here," Elliot said as they drove by gift shops, restaurants, and ice cream joints. He glanced down at the clock on the dashboard. He wouldn't be allowed to pick up the keys to the rental house for another hour. "We got some time to kill, how about we check out the beach for a bit?"

"That sounds great," Kathleen said. "I need to get out of this car."

Minutes later, Elliot was parking in the sandy parking lot of a public beach access point. There were only two other cars parked in the lot. The kids kicked off their shoes before getting out of the van and rushing up the path in the sand dunes. Elliot helped Eli walk through the sand with Olivia on the boy's other side. When they reached the peak of the dune, the Atlantic was all they could see.

"This place is empty," Olivia said as they walked down onto the beach. "I was picturing this to be like Virginia beach or spring break in Florida."

Elliot looked around. There were two families who decided to park themselves near the path back to the parking lot. Further down the beach, Elliot could see small groups of people scattered out. When Elliot was initially planning the vacation, he specifically chose a town further down the coast and away from the more touristy towns.

"It'll be a little busier on the beaches near the rental house, but these beaches don't get crowded like other tourist areas," Elliot said as Eli made a beeline for the water. "I don't think so, buddy." Elliot chased after the three year old and scooped him up in his arms. He looked out over the water and let out a sigh. "This is going to be a good week."

Olivia hummed in agreement as she walked over to him and stood next to him. "It's beautiful here," she said.

He looked over to her and admired the way the wind blew through her hair. He watched as she closed her eyes and allowed the sun to warm her face. She looked so beautiful. What he wouldn't do just to kiss her.

"I picked a good destination then?" he asked with a smile.

Olivia looked over to him and grinned.

After making a quick stop at the rental company to pick up the keys to the house, they continued down the road after their time at the beach. A few minutes later, he turned onto a side street off the highway and then onto another street where only colorful beach houses and sand dunes separated them from the sea. A few minutes later his GPS told him they had arrived at their destination. He pulled into the driveway of a two-story house that was held up in the air on wooden poles. The wooden siding of the house was weathered and a sign for the realty company Elliot rented the house from was nailed to above the stairs that led into the house.

"There's a pool around back and private beach access," Elliot told Olivia as they got out of the van and began unloading luggage. "Come on, let's get inside."

Kathleen and Lizzie were sharing a room and Dick was sharing his with Eli. Elliot took one of the two master bedrooms and showed Olivia the other room. Their rooms were on separate levels of the house. Olivia's room was on the upper level near the kitchen and living room. She had private access to the deck that overlooked the ocean and beach, and her bathroom at a large tub with jacuzzi jets. Olivia thought she might have died and gone to heaven. Elliot's room was on the lower level with the kids' rooms, bathroom, and laundry area. He too had access to the lower deck, but his room lacked the large jacuzzi tub. Olivia knew he had given up the nicer room for her.

Olivia took her time unpacking and putting her clothes into the chest of drawers in her room. She made it to the bottom of her suitcase where two swimsuits sat. One was a black bikini and the other was a dark green one piece. She wasn't sure which one to bring, so she brought both. She picked up the top of the bikini and looked it over. She was hoping she'd get a chance to wear the bikini. She wanted to see Elliot's face when he saw her in it.

A knock on her door brought her out of her daydream and she turned to see Elliot standing in the open doorway. "We're gonna order pizza and go in the pool," he told her. "You want to come in with us?"

"Maybe not tonight, but I'll come sit down there with you guys," Olivia answered. "I'm pretty beat. I might turn in early."

"Trust me, I know. I could go to bed right now, but the kids want to go in the pool," Elliot said. His eyes went to the fabric in Olivia's hands and he felt his face grow warm. "I'll-uh-go order the food now. Come on out to the kitchen when you're done. We gotta make a list of stuff to get at the grocery store in the morning."

"Okay," Olivia answered, dropping the top down into her suitcase. "I'll be out in a couple of minutes."

Elliot nodded and turned to walk away. His mind was focused on the bikini top and he prayed he'd be lucky enough to see Olivia in it.


	3. Chapter 3

Olivia stuck true to her word and ended up in bed and asleep by nine. She had a difficult time staying asleep though. She was never fond of sleeping in new places, but at least the sleep she did get was peaceful. She woke early in the morning just as the sun was coming up over the horizon of the ocean and began to peak into her room through the cracks in the blinds. She showered and looked through her clothes for something to wear.

She didn't own many pairs of shorts. Not because she didn't like them, but because she had no need for them. She couldn't wear them to work, and she was rarely off for more than a couple days at a time. She even switched from shorts to leggings to work out in a few years before. Olivia stared at her options and opted for a pair of blue denim shorts with slightly frayed edges. She couldn't remember the last time she wore them or when she bought them, and she certainly didn't remember them being that short. It felt like they barely covered her ass.

Well, if she was going to try to catch Elliot's attention, the shorts would be a good start.

She pulled a white tank top over her bra and pulled her hair into a ponytail before heading out to the kitchen. It seemed she was the first one to wake up. She dug around in a grocery bag on the counter and thanked god that Elliot had the sense to bring coffee down with them. As the coffee brewed, she grabbed a slice of leftover pizza out of the fridge.

By the time the coffee was finished brewing, Olivia heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Elliot came into view and smiled.

"You made coffee? Pour me some, will you?"

"Sure," Olivia said as she turned to grab another mug out of the cabinet.

Elliot couldn't help let his eyes wander. He'd only ever seen Olivia in shorts once before when he found her in the precinct gym finishing a workout. Those shorts weren't as short or as tight as the ones she was wearing now though. His eyes traveled up her toned legs and landed on her ass. He ripped his eyes away just as she turned around.

"You want creamer?" She asked.

"No, no I'll take it black," Elliot said a little too quickly.

"So what's the plan for today?" Olivia asked, handing him his mug of coffee. If she knew he had been staring at her, she made no hint of it.

"Well, we gotta go grocery shopping. Kathleen and Lizzie planned out dinners for this week, so they gave me a list of what they need. And we'll get some stuff like lunch meat for lunches," he sipped the hot liquid and leaned against the counter. "After that, we can go down to the beach and spend the day there. Easy first day. We'll just go from there. I know the kids want to do some stuff this week."

"What kind of stuff?" Olivia asked.

"Dickie wants to do some kiteboarding. Kathleen and Lizzie want to go parasailing. You know, the touristy stuff. I want to take Eli to the pier, maybe go on one of the dolphin tours too."

"Dolphin tours?"

"They take you out on a boat on the ocean and they promise you that you'll see dolphins or your money back," Elliot chuckled as he thought about it. "I think Eli would like to see dolphins, and if we don't see them, then at least we're on a boat."

Olivia laughed. "Well, it sounds like fun either way."

"Is there anything you want to do?"

Olivia shrugged. "I don't know what all there is to do," she said. "I haven't taken a vacation in...I don't even know when the last time I went on vacation."

"Well, we'll find you something you can do," Elliot said, his lips turning upward into a smirk.

"I'm sure you will," Olivia said in a low voice before walking out onto the front deck.

Once all the kids were up, Olivia and Elliot left for the grocery store with the list in hand. They were met with a packed store full of tourists who had arrived the evening before like they had. They ended up splitting up so they could get the shopping done quicker. As Olivia searched down the aisles for Elliot, her arms ladened with different items, she bumped into a man picking out a case of beer.

"Sorry," Olivia apologized. "It's too crowded in here."

"No sweat," the man said with a smile. Olivia had to admit he was handsome. He was tall with muscular arms, shaggy, curly dark hair, and bright green eyes. He had a sleeve of tattoos covering his right arm. Olivia could make out sharks and fish encircling his arm. "I try to steer clear of the grocery store on weekends during the tourist season, but I got drafted for the beer run."

"You're a local?" Olivia asked.

The man nodded. "Name's Sean. Born and raised here on the Outer Banks."

"Olivia," Olivia introduced. "Born and raised in New York."

"Nice to meet you. Do you want help?"

"Oh, no, I'm just looking for my friend. He has the cart," Olivia answered as she looked around for Elliot again. She noticed his expression fall slightly when she mentioned her friend was a he. Just as she turned back to Sean, she saw Elliot coming down the aisle. "There he is," Olivia said. "It was nice to meet you, again."

"Sure. I'll probably see you around. I frequent these beaches. Maybe we can do something together while you're here," Sean said, his smile returning before grabbing a case of beer and walking away.

"Who was that?" Elliot asked when he reached her.

Olivia dumped the food she was carrying in the cart before grabbing a case of beer herself. "Just a local I bumped into while looking for you."

"He likes you," Elliot said with an air of jealousy in his tone.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "I said maybe five sentences to him. I'm sure he doesn't like me."

"I can tell by the way he was looking at you."

"You need to get your eyes checked then," she joked. "Are we done? I want to get out of this place."

And just like that, the subject was dropped. Olivia watched Elliot out of the corner of her eye as they made their way to the registers. Elliot was known to get jealous of the men she interacted with, apart from the members of their squad. It really wasn't a surprise that he'd be jealous now.

"You can calm down, you know," Olivia said as they got in line. "He's nobody."

Elliot grunted in response.

"Will you stop getting jealous over every guy who talks to me?"

"I'm not jealous," Elliot said.

"Like hell you are," Olivia shook her head. "You're stubborn, you know that? Look, you have no reason to be jealous, you'll see." She decided to leave the conversation there and picked up a trashy tabloid magazine, leaving Elliot to ponder what she meant.

* * *

Elliot had been on the beach with the kids for at least a half-hour already. He kept glancing up towards the dunes where there was a set of stairs led to the house, waiting for Olivia to appear at the top. She said she'd join them once she was ready and to go on down without her, but she seemed to be taking her time.

He turned back to the four Stabler children in front of him. Kathleen was sitting under an umbrella reading a book. Lizzie was showing Eli how to build sandcastles. Dickie was messing with a skid board he found in a closet of the rental house. He was getting pretty good at staying on the board at this point. Elliot glanced back up towards the stairs and nearly tipped over in his chair at what he saw.

Olivia was descending the stairs in a black bikini, dark aviator sunglasses, and carrying a tote bag. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun. Her skin gleamed under the sun and as she got near to them, he could smell the sunscreen on her.

"Took you long enough," he forced himself to say, hoping his mouth hadn't been hanging open the whole time she was walking over the sand towards them.

"I didn't have anyone to help me put on sunscreen," Olivia said as she laid her towel out in the empty spot next to his chair. "Can you get my back?"

 _God, why are you doing this to me?_ He wondered. "Sure," he said, taking the bottle of sunscreen from her and standing. "Turn around."

Olivia did as she was told. Elliot squirted the lotion into his hands and began to rub it onto her back. Her skin felt warm and soft beneath his hands. He never wanted to stop touching her. He trailed his hands down her back, rubbing in the lotion as he went. He made sure his fingertips never stopped or lingered too long in one place. Olivia let out a sigh and he stopped, fearing perhaps he had gone too far.

"Everything okay?"

"Yea, it just feels nice...the lotion I mean. It's nice and cool and it's hot as hell out here."

"Right…" Elliot said, taking his hands off her back. He immediately missed the feeling of her skin. "All done."

"Thanks, El," Olivia said before kneeling down on her towel and laying flat on her stomach. She folded her arms under her head and laid still.

He had to tear his eyes away from her backside and refocus on his kids before something embarrassing happened. He stood and walked over to where Eli and Lizzie were playing in the sand. He picked Eli up, causing the boy to laugh. "Come on buddy, let's go in the water."


	4. Chapter 4

When the sun became too hot on her skin, she rolled over onto her back and sat up, shielding her eyes from the brightness. Elliot was standing up to his waist in the ocean, diving under the waves as they came towards him. Dickie was further down the beach playing frisbee with some boys his own age. Kathleen and Lizzie were helping Eli dig a big hole in the sand. Lizzie was occasionally running a bucket back and forth to the water to fill it and dump in the hole.

Her eyes went back to Elliot and watched how the muscles in his back moved each time he dipped below the water and resurfaced. She bit her lip, fighting the feeling forming in her lower belly. As if he could sense her watching him, he turned around and smiled and waded back towards the beach. He stopped in front of her, dripping water onto the edge of her towel.

"The water's great, you should come in," he said.

"I don't think so, I'll enjoy it from here," Olivia answered. She admired the beauty of the ocean, but she had no desire to get in passed her ankles. She knew how to swim of course. She aced her swim test in the police academy, but she had a hard time getting in bodies of water she couldn't see through. Perhaps it was one too many scary movies about giant killer sharks, crocodiles, or squids, or perhaps it was the fear of being dragged into the deep by the waves and the rip currents. She knew the chances of being attacked by a shark or swept out to sea was minimal, but the fear was still there.

She felt ridiculous. She had no problem running after armed rapists, but going into the ocean scared her.

"Come on," Elliot said, holding out his hand to her. "It's okay. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

She wanted to take his hand. She always knew she'd be safe with him. Olivia chewed on the inside of her cheek, trying to make up her mind before she took his hand and allowed him to help her up. He kept hold of her hand as he led her to the water. She felt her palms began to sweat and her legs began to shake.

"It's okay," Elliot said again, noticing her slight tremble. "I'm right here. You're safe."

The water was cool against her skin. It felt refreshing in the hot summer sun. She watched as the incoming water splashed around her ankles, obscuring her feet beneath the white foam and sand before rushing back out to sea. She gripped Elliot's hand tightly as he walked into the water up to his knees.

"Come right here," he said to her. "We won't go any further unless you want to."

Olivia nodded and stepped forward to stand next to him. Her feet sank into the sand a bit and the waves broke just before hitting her knees. She felt more at ease and she wasn't sure if it was because she realized she had nothing to be afraid of or because she was still holding Elliot's hand.

"This is nice," Olivia said, looking over to Elliot and down at their connected hands.

Elliot silently nodded and looked over to her. "Any reason why you're afraid?"

Olivia shrugged. "It's stupid," she said as a wave crashed in front of them, splashing water up onto her chest. She shivered at the coolness and dropped Elliot's hand to wipe away the beads of water and immediately missed the feeling of his hand in hers. "I don't like water I can't see through. I'm fine in a pool or other clear bodies of water because I can see through them. I know what's lurking beneath the surface, but this? I don't know what's under there. I don't like not knowing…I don't like risking everything without knowing..."

"Are we still talking about the ocean?" Elliot asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

Olivia's eyes flicked over to him. Somehow her fear of the ocean became an allegory for her feelings for Elliot. There was a similar fear there. Fear of getting in too deep. Fear of losing herself and being left heartbroken. But she was facing her fears, both of the water and her feelings, with Elliot right by her side.

Before Olivia could respond, however, Eli came running over holding a large seashell that he wanted to show Elliot. Olivia took this cue to walk back onto the beach, thinking about her feelings for Elliot. She was diving headfirst into whatever this was turning into and there was no going back now.

When the sun began to dip lower and lower in the sky, Elliot and the kids packed everything up, and he led the way back over the sand dune to the house. Olivia left the beach minutes before everyone else and he could see her sitting on the deck reading as they walked down the boardwalk. She spent the rest of the time on the beach after stepping into the ocean sunbathing and playing in the sand with Eli. She was a natural when it came to Eli. He could feel himself falling more and more in love with her as he watched her build sandcastles and sort through seashells with the boy.

After everyone was dressed, Kathleen and Lizzie started the spaghetti they planned for dinner while Dickie was showed Eli something on his Nintendo DS. Elliot grabbed two beers out of the fridge and walked out onto the porch where Olivia was sitting in one of the wooden chairs with her book open in her lap and her bare feet perched up on the banister. Unlike him, she got a bit of a tan from their afternoon in the sun. She looked up when the door opened and smiled when Elliot handed her a beer.

"You're sunburned," she said, noting the redness on his face

"Yea," Elliot responded. "It's not too bad."

"Not yet," Olivia chuckled, closing her book and twisting the top off her beer. "It'll hurt like a bitch soon enough. Today was nice though. I had fun."

Elliot nodded. "Got you to go into the water. Maybe next time we can go out a little further." He sat down in the chair next to her and took a long drink from his bottle.

"Good luck with that," Olivia snorted. "You know, you're lucky you're my partner and that I trust you because I wouldn't step foot into that water with anyone else."

"Makes me special then," Elliot laughed as he playfully nudged her. He took another swig from his bottle. His eyes trailed over her legs and he thought back to the bikini she was wearing just an hour before. "You-uh-you looked really good today."

"Good?" Olivia asked raising an eyebrow. An amused look danced across her face. "Just good, huh?"

"Well, maybe good isn't the right word."

Olivia leaned over in her seat, resting her elbow on the arm and her chin in her palm. "And what's the word you'd use?"

Elliot leaned towards her, tapping the mouth of his beer bottle against his chin. It wasn't the first time he flirted with her, but this time things were different. Before it was always a joke, never to be taken seriously. They always teased each other, but it was just that, teasing and jokes. Now? They were free to test the waters, but Elliot was never one for cation. He was plunging right into the deep end. "Do you really want me to answer that?"

She took his beer bottle and took a sip from it. "I think you should."

He smirked at her and took his bottle back. "Hot. Hot is the right word."

"Dinner's ready!" Kathleen called from inside.

Olivia stood and grabbed her book and her beer. She leaned down close to his ear and Elliot could feel her warm breath on his skin. "Well, Elliot Stabler, play your cards right and you'll keep seeing that bikini."


	5. Chapter 5

The night brought a coolness to the air that felt good against his burned skin. Elliot sat on the balcony outside his bedroom with a beer in one hand as he watched the waves crash onto the shore below. The kids had long since gone to bed and as far as he knew, Olivia was in bed as well. He couldn't stop thinking about her and the way she looked in the bikini she wore to the beach. It didn't help him any when she flirted with him just before dinner, promising he'd see that bikini again if he was good. He had to excuse himself after dinner to take a cold shower to get rid of the hard-on that was forming under his shorts.

Just as his thoughts turned to a fantasy of throwing her down on his bed and having his way with her, the door to the balcony above him opened and soft footsteps creaked across the wood before the sound of a chair sliding backward replaced them. Elliot looked at his watch. It was almost eleven. Olivia disappeared to her bedroom for an hour and a half before. He was sure she was asleep, but he guessed not.

He heard her sigh and he could picture her sitting in the chair, her head resting back against the wood while the breeze fluttered through her hair. He wondered if she changed out of her shorts and top into pajamas. It was too warm for the normal sweats and t-shirt he knew she wore to bed just from the number of times he had to drop stuff off at her apartment late at night.

Elliot didn't have the guts to say anything, opting for the sound of the ocean to fill the silence between them. He decided it was time to start getting ready for bed and stood as quietly as he could as to not disturb Olivia. His plan hadn't gone as smoothly as he liked and he ended up knocking the back of his chair against the wall as he stood.

"Elliot? Are you down there?" Olivia's voice came from above.

"Uh, yea," Elliot said. "I was just going in. Sorry if I disturbed you."

"You didn't. Just startled me. I thought you were in bed."

"I could say the same about you. What are you still doing up?"

"Can't fall asleep just yet." She paused and he could practically hear her thinking. "Do you want to come up here and sit with me for a bit?"

"Yea. Yea I'll be right up," Elliot said before stepping into his room and closing the sliding glass door. He quietly passed the rooms his sons and daughters were staying in and tip-toed up the stairs and through Olivia's dark bedroom where the sliding glass door stood open for him. He stepped outside to find her sitting back in the chair with her knees to her chest. She had indeed already changed out of the outfit she had on earlier and into a pair of dark cotton shorts and a black cami.

"I see we had the same idea," Olivia said, holding up her bottle as he sat down in the chair next to her.

"It's not a vacation unless you're drinking 'round the clock," Elliot chuckled. "Besides, how often do we have a chance to just relax?"

"You have a point," she replied as she took a drink from her bottle. "So why are you up?"

"Just wanted to enjoy the quiet," Elliot said. "Be alone with my thoughts for a bit before bed."

"Yea? Do those thoughts have anything to do with why you disappeared so quickly after dinner?"

Elliot suppressed a groan. He hoped she hadn't noticed. "Maybe," he answered.

"Want to talk about it?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Elliot said, looking over to her. "It's nothing bad or anything like that."

"Hmmm," Olivia hummed. "Afraid it will scare me away?"

The answer was yes. They had been in the situation before. When they got to close, they ran, going their separate ways to chase away what they felt. Olivia ran to Oreogan and into the arms of different men, and Elliot to Kathy time and time again. It never worked. Running away just left them in an even worse state. Elliot knew the cycle had to end.

"A bit," he replied. "Liv…" He trailed off as she began to move in her chair. Her feet were flat on the ground now and she stood, setting her beer aside on the table. She stood in front of him, looking down at him with her head tilted. She leaned, resting her palms on the armrests on either side of him. She was so close to him that he could smell the cocoa and shea butter scented shampoo she had used.

"You're not going to scare me away. Not this time," she said before her lips covered his.

Elliot thought he must have been dreaming. There was no way he was kissing Olivia Benson while overlooking a beach at night. But even if it was all a dream, he wasn't going to let the moment escape him.

He cupped his hands on her cheeks and held to him. Her lips felt soft against his own and he never wanted them to leave. The feeling sent what felt jolts of electricity through his body. He tilted his head, deepening the kiss, and swiping his tongue into her mouth. A moan escaped from her throat and he felt like he could get drunk on the sound.

Before things could get any more heated, Olivia pulled away. Her cheeks were flushed, and when she stood back up straight, she was a little breathless. She said nothing as she reached for Elliot's hand, pulled him up, and led him into her room. Once inside, her lips returned to his as he slipped his hands under her cami to feel the warm, soft skin beneath the top. He pulled her shirt over her head and his hands covered her breasts as a distant knocking noise filled the room.

"Dad?"

Elliot opened his eyes and found himself staring at the alarm clock on the nightstand next to his bed. It was almost ten and he was in his own room.

"Dad? Are you awake?" Kathleen's voice came from the other side of the door.

"I'm up," Elliot answered.

"Okay, I just wanted to make sure you were up. There's breakfast upstairs if you want anything. Olivia made pancakes."

He could hear Kathleen head back up the stairs. Elliot sat up, groaned, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. It had all been a dream. Of course, it had been, he thought. He threw back the sheets and became aware of the bulge under his boxers. He sighed as he got out of bed and made his way to the shower.

* * *

Between the towns of Avon and Buxton was the Haulover Day Use Area that sat right on the Pamlico Sound. Dickie wanted to spend the afternoon learning to kiteboard, so while he took a lesson, the rest of the group spent the day on the sound side of the barrier island.

Olivia found that she liked the sound more than the ocean. The water was calmer. There were no waves to knock her over. There was no risk of being swept out to sea by a rip current. The water, even though she still couldn't see through it, was shallow, only going up past her knees in the deeper parts of the day use area.

She hadn't worn her bikini today and opted for the one-piece she brought as well. When she emerged from the changing rooms with it on, she could have sworn she saw a hint of disappointment in his eyes. He seemed to be avoiding her and she wondered if she did something to upset him.

As Olivia sat under an umbrella, she watched Elliot talking to Dickie and the kiteboarding instructor down the beach. She pushed her sunglasses up onto her head and turned back to Lizzie and Elli playing in the sand in front of her. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of the water gently lapping against the shore and the seagulls flying overhead. Her thoughts drifted to the rest of the squad back in New York, and she wondered how they were fairing without her and Elliot.

"He likes you, you know," Kathleen's voice said from next to her. The young woman had taken up Elliot's abandoned chair and was looking at Olivia with an amused look.

"Excuse me?" Olivia blinked.

"Dad likes you," Kathleen repeated a grin now spreading across her face. "And I know you like him too. Please we can all see how flirty you two have been. So, what's keeping you?"

"Nothing," Olivia answered honestly.

"You're going to tell him, right?"

"Are you okay with that?" Olivia asked. It only just hit her that she never took Elliot's children's feelings into consideration.

"Are you kidding me? We're more than okay with it. Lizzie and I have been plotting for a way to get you to admit things to each other. Maureen's on board. Dickie wouldn't admit it but he loves the idea. And Eli loves you. You're basically our second mom anyway."

Olivia thought she was going to tear up at her words. She felt so grateful and so touched that Elliot's children thought of her in that way and not just their father's work partner or someone who was going to take their father away from them. "Thank you," she said softly. "That means a lot, Kathleen."

"Go get him, Liv," Kathleen winked before going to join Lizzie and Eli.

After spending all afternoon at the sound, they returned back to the house where the kids immediately went into the pool to continue to fight off the summer heat. Olivia decided to join them and slipped into the cool water. She sat down on the stairway and watched Elliot try to get the charcoal grill started to start grilling the burgers and hotdogs for dinner. She suppressed a laugh as he swore each time the wind blew out the flame he just lit.

"El, just wait for a bit," Olivia finally said after the fifth time the lighter went out. "Why don't you come in the pool? It's too hot to be starting a cookout right now."

"Fine, fine," Elliot gave in before walking through the pool gate. He pulled his t-shirt off and tossed it on a plastic lounge chair. He stepped into the pool and settled himself next to her on the stairs. Olivia couldn't take her eyes off his bare chest and his arms

"You've been avoiding me," Olivia said. "Did I piss you off?"

"What? No," Elliot said quickly. "I haven't been avoiding you."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "You barely said five words to me all day. What gives?"

Elliot sighed. "You didn't do anything, I promise. And I'm sorry if I was avoiding you. I-uh-couldn't stop thinking about a dream I had and it was distracting me today."

"Oh yea? What was it about?" Olivia asked, moving closer to him ever so slightly. She had two guesses what Elliot's dream might have been about if he had been avoiding her specifically that day. It was either a nightmare or something erotic.

And she was going with the latter.

"Maybe later," Elliot said, his voice now low so only she could hear.

It was definitely the latter.

"I'll hold you to that," Olivia smirked. She stood and turned back to him before splashing him with some water.

"Oh, is that how you're going to play it, Benson?" Elliot laughed, wiping the water from his face. "That was a cheap shot."

"What are you going to do about it, Stabler?"

"This." And he swept his hand across the surface of the water splashing her and soaking her. The splash attracted the attention of the kids who swam (or in Eli's case, was carried by Kathleen) to the other side of the pool to join in the splash battle. Olivia exchanged glances with Elliot while she shielded herself from Eli's splashes. He was grinning at her and Olivia never wanted the day to end.


	6. Chapter 6

The jets in the tub massaged her muscles as she sank further into the tub. The second day in North Carolina had wrapped up and time was moving much too quickly for Olivia's liking. She hoped a hot bath in the jacuzzi tub would take her mind off the impending return to New York in five days, but all she could think about was making a move on Elliot before the week's end. Olivia knew her chance would be all but gone once they returned to work and were thrown back into reality.

The flirting was nice, but she wanted more.

She let her mind wander as lounged in the tub. She wondered how Elliot would react if she just kissed him. Thinking about the surprised look that would be on his face made Olivia smirk. She decided that's how she was going to move things along. Now it was a matter of when.

The sun rose the next morning and she found Elliot sitting out on the balcony drinking coffee and watching the surf. His sunburned face was shaded by a ball cap with the Jets logo on it. He glanced up at her when she stepped out of the doorway and smiled.

"Sleep well?"

Olivia nodded. "You? No more sexy dreams?"

Elliot nearly choked on his coffee. "No," he said firmly. "No more sexy dreams."

"Shame," Olivia laughed. "What's the plan for today?"

"I thought we could go down to the pier this afternoon and maybe get some ice cream this evening. Other than that? Whatever everyone wants to do, I guess," Elliot answered. "Kids will be up soon. Come on, help me start breakfast."

She watched him push himself off the chair and walk into the house. She followed after him deciding today would be the day she made her move.

The Avon Fishing Pier jutted out into the Atlantic and definitely looked like it had survived a hurricane or two. The breeze coming off the ocean cooled Olivia's skin as they ventured out onto the pier. The pier was filled with tourists either fishing off the sides or just sightseeing. The three elder Stabler children didn't seem too impressed, but Eli was fascinated by the fishermen pulling up their catches from the water. One man even caught a small shark. The man happily showed it off to those around him before tossing it back into the water below.

"Olivia?"

Olivia looked up from the ripples left by the shark to find Sean approaching her. He was grinning as he carried a fishing pole and tackle box. "Didn't think I'd actually see you again," he said as he sat his equipment down. "How's your stay going?"

"Great," Olivia answered. "This is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to."

"Yea, isn't it?" Sean said, leaning back against the banister. "Where's your friend?"

"Elliot? He's just down there with his kids," Olivia said pointing to the group a few feet down the pier. Elliot was holding Eli and watching Lizzie toss popcorn in the air for the seagulls to catch. Kathleen and Dickie weren't paying attention and were watching a group of surfers below. She could tell Sean wasn't actually interested in what the Stabler's were doing. He only glanced over to where she pointed quickly and then back to her.

"Say, I don't do this too often with tourists, but what do you say about dinner?" Sean asked. "I know you're only in town for the week, so I figured I'd ask and see if you're down for a bit of fun."

A part of her knew it was coming. The way he asked about "her friend" and the disinterest he had when she answered had been clues. Still, it had caught her off guard though. Getting asked out by a local wasn't on the list of things she expected out of this vacation.

"Oh, that's very sweet, but no," Olivia answered.

"Seeing someone?"

"No, but-"

"Then come on? Live a little. I can show you parts of this island tourists never get to see. I can take you up to see the wild horses up in Corolla. It'll be fun."

"That sounds nice, but no. I'm not interested," Olivia said earnestly.

Sean rolled his eyes. "Come on, ditch the old man and the kids and have some fun."

"No. I'm not interested."

"Is everything okay here?" Elliot's voice came from behind her. Just from the tone, she could tell he must have heard at least half the exchange she just had with Sean.

"It's fine," Sean answered before Olivia could say anything. "Just chatting with your friend Olivia here."

Elliot came into her view and stood next to her, his arms folded across his chest. "Didn't sound like you're just chatting."

"Elliot, it's fine. Sean just asked me to dinner and I was telling him no," Olivia said, trying to regain control of the conversation.

"She told you no more than once," Elliot continued, his eyes narrowing as he stared Sean down. "Now, she said she wasn't interested, so you need to back off."

"What's it to you? She's not your girl," Sean fired back. "I think she can make up her own mind."

"You're right. She can. And she said no, now get out of here before I have you charged with harassment."

Sean snorted. "You're a fucking mainlander. You're not a cop here."

"No, but I don't think the local police will turn down a complaint from two members of the NYPD."

Sean rolled his eyes. "Yea, I'm sure," he laughed. "NYPD? That's a new one. You mainlanders will say anything to get your own way." He grabbed his fishing pole and tackle box before looking at her again. "Shame you turned me down. We could have had some real fun. I'll see you around, Olivia." He pushed passed Elliot to get to the end of the pier and before he could get too far, Elliot grabbed his arm.

"Elliot!" Olivia said, grabbing his other arm to pull him away. People were starting to stare now and the last thing she wanted was to attract attention to themselves. "Let him go."

"Stay away from her," Elliot said before letting Sean go.

"Dad, what's going on," Kathleen asked as she and her siblings walked back over to them. "Who was that?"

"No one," Elliot answered. "You guys want to say longer?"

"Can we go," Lizzie said. "I'm bored and Eli is getting cranky."

"Yea, let's get back to the house," Elliot said. "You ready, Liv?"

Olivia nodded and led the way back to the parking lot. Seeing Elliot get jealous and protective of her set something off deep in her. It was almost a primal feeling, something she never felt before. If anything, it was a confirmation that she needed to make a move.

* * *

He hoped she wasn't mad at him. Olivia hadn't said much since the incident with Sean on the pier. He had seen Olivia mad before, but she wasn't acting hostile towards him. She was quiet, almost calculating. She became hard to read, but eventually as the day wore on, she began to open up more and he decided she wasn't actually mad at him.

Elliot just couldn't stand the way Sean was looking at her, like she was a piece of meat for the taking. He couldn't stand the way he was hounding her to go on a date with him and trying to guilt her into it. Elliot knew he had no reason to be jealous. Olivia was never going to go out with Sean. She could take care of herself just fine, but Elliot couldn't help himself and inserted himself into the situation.

They went to a seafood restaurant for dinner, and as promised, Elliot took the kids for ice cream. He watched Olivia lick the chocolate ice cream from her cone and felt himself begin to sweat a little. He caught her eye and he could have sworn she winked at him. He couldn't be sure, but he thought she was taunting him.

She was going to be the death of him...or at least the reason he'd be taking another cold shower that night.

When they got back to the rental house Elliot put Eli to bed as Lizzie pulled out a stack of board games she found in a closet and forced them all to play Monopoly. It was nearly midnight when Dickie threw his remaining money across the table and called the game stupid as Lizzie cackled, declaring herself the winner and taking the rest of Dickie's money. Elliot decided to call it a night and bid the kids a good night as they cleaned up the pieces of the game. As he walked down the stairs, he heard Olivia tell the kids good night and heard her disappear into her room.

When the house quieted down and the lights to the bedrooms started going out, Elliot stepped out onto the balcony outside his room and settled down into a chair. He stared at the ocean and watched the waves roll in illuminated by the full moon. He closed his eyes and listened to the sound of the water crashing against the shore.

Just as he allowed his thoughts to wonder, he heard the sliding glass door open on the balcony above him and soft footsteps make their way across the wooden boards. He heard the chair slide back slightly as the person sat down.

"Liv, that you?" He asked.

"Yea," she answered. "You're still up? I thought you went to bed after that game."

"Not just yet," he answered. "Just wanted to unwind a bit before laying down."

"Do you want to come up here and talk for a little?"

Elliot blinked as deja vu took over him. He shook his head to get the dream out of his mind. He couldn't be having this dream again. "Yea, I'll be right up."

"I'll be waiting."

As Elliot stood and made his way back into the house, he pinched himself hard on the arm to make sure he wasn't dreaming this time.


	7. Chapter 7

He thought God had to be playing some sick joke on him.

When he stepped out onto the balcony he found Olivia sitting in one of the wooden lounge chairs, dressed in the same cotton shorts and shirt she was wearing in his dream. He subtly pinched himself again to confirm he was not dreaming before sitting in the chair next to her. He watched the breeze fluttered through her hair and her eyes looking out over the water.

"I don't think I'm going to want to leave here at the end of the week," Olivia said, looking over to him.

"It's been great so far. Well, except for that admirer of yours," he teased. "I'm thinking tomorrow we can go visit the lighthouse."

"Sounds like fun." She paused, biting her lip. "Thank you for today. I know you know I could have handled it myself, but I'm glad you were there. Thanks."

"Sure, Liv. I always got your back," he answered. "Hopefully that will be the last we see of him."

"Hopefully." She fell silent for a moment as she looked out over the ocean and back to him. "It did make me realize something though."

His curiosity was piqued."What's that?"

"That I can't waste any more time," she said as she pushed herself off her seat and stood in front of him.

It only took him about a millisecond to realize what she was saying and before he knew it, her lips were on his and her hands were holding his face to hers. He slowly stood, their lips never breaking, and wrapped his arms around her middle. He held her close as she tilted her head to deepen the kiss. He felt her tongue enter his mouth and could taste the remnants of the beer and the strawberries she had finished before everyone retired to bed. He never wanted the moment to end.

But it did end, and when Olivia pulled back, her eyes were searching his. "I don't want to waste any more time," she said. "I know things are going to be complicated once we get back home, but I need you to know how I feel, and I need to know you feel the same. Don't leave me drowning here, El."

"You're never going to drown," he answered, brushing a loose lock of hair from her forehead. "I do feel the same. I felt that way for a long time, even when Kathy and I were still working on our marriage. I knew it was wrong, but you were a force in my life that I couldn't ignore and I was just waiting for the right moment."

"Guess that would be now."

"Yea, I guess it is. We better not waste any more time then, huh?" This time, he kissed her. His hand wandered up her back and into her hair, curling his fingers in her locks. He took a step backward, carefully guiding both of them through the door and into her room. He pulled away from her lips to close the door. In the light of the moon filtering through the windows and door, he could see a blaze in her eyes. Her lips were swollen and her hair was a mess. If this was his last night on Earth, he wanted her to be the last thing he ever saw.

"God, Liv, you're gorgeous," he said, capturing her lips again.

She hummed against his lips and slipped her hands under his shirt. His skin was hot under her fingertips. She dragged her nails down his back, making him moan before hooking the hem of his shirt with her fingers and pulling the shirt over his head. She tossed it haphazardly aside before kissing him again. She felt his lips kiss down her jaw and to her neck, nipping at the skin under her ear.

His hands pulled off her top and he gazed over her naked torso. His thumb moved over her nipple as his lips went back to peppering kisses on her neck. He pushed her back towards the bed and when the back of her legs made contact with the frame, she fell backward onto the mattress.

He was on top of her, one knee between her legs as he leaned down and covered her lips with his. She felt his fingers intertwined with his and he moved her arms so they were above her head. His lips dragged across her skin, down her neck, and onto her chest. He left her hands got as he took one of her nipples into his mouth, his tongue swirling over the bud.

Olivia felt like her body was on fire. His fingers, his mouth, his tongue all set her ablaze and were the reason she felt her arousal pooling between her legs. She never felt so much desire, so much need for a person before.

He kissed down her stomach, memorizing every inch of her skin before stopping at the top of her shorts. He glanced up at her, his fingers toying with the waistband. "Can I?" He asked.

Olivia nodded. "God yes."

He pulled the dark shorts down her legs, leaving her in a pair of blue lace panties. He lowered his head, his lips tracing over the skin of her abdomen as his thumb began to stroke her through the lace. She was so wet already and it was driving him wild.

"Elliot," Olivia moaned as he touched her. "Please."

"What is it?" He asked her, his voice low and his lips hovering just above her stomach.

She stared at him, unable to put what she was feeling into words. Comprehensive thoughts had long been gone by that point. She opened her mouth and another moan escaped as his thumb moved in a circular pattern over her clit. "Fuck," she moaned.

Watching her wither beneath him drove him nuts. He pulled the lace panties off and tossed them to the floor. He dipped his head even lower and began kissing her inner thighs slowly. He glanced up at her once more before his mouth attached itself to her core.

Olivia gasped as her back arched off the bed. It felt like a jolt of electricity raised through her and awakening all her senses. She let out a soft "Oh" when Elliot looped his arms around her thighs, pulling her even closer, and placed her legs on his shoulders as he continued to work his tongue over her center. She reached down and ran her hand through his cropped hair, holding his head in place.

She tasted like nothing else he ever experienced. When she touched his head and held him in place, he hummed against her, trailing his tongue down to her opening. She stifled the moan that left her mouth and moved her hips against him.

"El," she breathed. "I'm so close."

He glanced upward and saw her free hand clenching the bedding next to her. Her head was thrown back and her eyes closed as a whimper left her lips.

"Let go, Liv," he said before returning his mouth to her.

The white heat that had been building in her depths broke through the dam and flooded her. She stopped herself from crying out his name and waking everyone up in the house. His mouth stayed on her, lapping her up as she rode through her high. When the moment drifted away, he sat up and crawled to the spot next to her on the bed. He cupped her cheek and kissed her softly.

"I love you," he whispered. "You don't have to say it back, but if we're not wasting any more time and just jumping all in, I want you to know that I love you."

"I love you too," Olivia whispered back. She kissed him again, wrapping an arm around him. She could feel his erection against his stomach and smirked. "Want me to take care of that."

"Not tonight. Tonight was about you," Elliot said. "I wanted you to feel good."

"I always feel good when I'm with you," Olivia responded. "Stay here tonight?"

"Of course," Elliot said, grabbing the edge of the duvet and pulling it up over their bodies. He pressed his lips to her forehead. "Night, Liv," he said only to find his wishes falling on deaf ears. Olivia was already asleep, curled up into his chest, and breathing slowly and evenly.

* * *

Olivia didn't remember falling asleep, but she woke before him in the morning to find her head on his chest, an arm around his middle, and her leg draped over one of his. She thought about their activities the night before and smiled, curling into him more. She breathed deeply, his scent filling her nose. As she moved ever so slightly at his side, it stirred him and he opened one eye to look at her.

"Morning," he said.

"Morning. Sorry, didn't mean to wake you."

"It's fine. What time is it?"

Olivia lifted her head from his chest to look at the clock on the nightstand. "Just after seven."

"We should get up. Eli's gonna be up soon."

"Can we just stay here for a couple more minutes. I'm comfy," Olivia groaned.

She felt his chest vibrate as he chuckled. His hand came up and stroked her hair. His other hand tilted her chin up to kiss her lips. "We should still probably get up. We'll have plenty of time to lay around later." He paused and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Speaking of Eli and the kids. Are we going to talk to them?"

"I think they already approve," Olivia said, her lips turning upward into a smile. "Kathleen might have encouraged me to go after you."

Elliot let out a laugh. "Why am I not surprised?" He kissed her lips again and slowly sat up, bringing Olivia into an upright position with him. "We'll still talk to them. And then we need to figure out what we're going to do about work."

"We can figure that out later. We still have a few more days here. Let's just enjoy this," Olivia said, cupping his cheek and stroking it with her thumb. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to pick up my clothes that seem to be all over the room." She kissed him softly before slipping to gather her clothes up and to find something to wear for the day. She felt his eyes on her the whole time and before she disappeared into the bathroom, she gave him a devilish smirk and a wink.

"So how would you guys feel if me and Olivia started dating," Elliot said over the pancakes, eggs, and toast they were having for breakfast.

"What? Are you two finally together?" Dickie asked. He turned to Lizzie and smirked. "You owe me twenty bucks."

"You were betting on if we'd get together?" Elliot asked, his eyebrow raising at his oldest son.

"Come on, we can all see how you two are," Dickie rolled his eyes. "It was getting gross. So we had bets going on when you'd be getting together during this vacation."

"So when did this happen?" Kathleen asked.

"Well, we sort of started last night," Olivia answered as she caught Elliot's eye and smiled.

"You're all okay with it then?" Elliot asked.

"Of course," Lizzie said. "We just want to see you and Liv happy."

"Well, since it's official now, welcome to the family, Liv," Kathleen said.

Olivia couldn't stop smiling and when Elliot reached across the table and took her hand, she thought she was going to cry out of happiness.

After breakfast was finished and everyone was dressed and slathered in sunscreen, they piled into the van and headed towards the town of Buxton. As they drove through the small town composed mostly of small seaside motels, gift shops, and restaurants, Olivia could see a black and white lighthouse come into view. They turned off the main road at a sign that read "Cape Hatteras Light Station Historic District." The road curved through the beachside foliage and soon they were parking in a parking lot of the visitors center.

"Did you know they moved the lighthouse from its original site to here," Elliot said as they walked into the visitors center.

"They moved a whole lighthouse?" Lizzie asked. "No way."

"They did. Along with the keeper's quarters."

"Why they move it, daddy?" Eli asked.

"Because the ocean was eating away the beach and getting too close to the lighthouse. See," Elliot said, picking Eli up and showing him the pictures of the lighthouse being moved from the beach to the spot where it now sat.

"Cool," Eli said, watching the video of the lighthouse moving very slowly on a large platform.

"We'll go over to the spot where it used to sit before we leave," Elliot said as they made their way through the visitor's center and back outside. They walked over to the lighthouse and Olivia stared up at the tower.

"Did you want to go up?" Elliot asked her.

"Oh, no it's okay," Olivia answered.

"You two should totally go up," Kathleen said grinning. "We can watch Eli for you."

"Come on, it'll be fun," Elliot said.

"If you're sure," Olivia said to Kathleen.

"Go on," Kathleen said.

Olivia nodded as Elliot took her hand and walked over to the lighthouse. He paid for their tickets to climb the 257 stairs to the top and they began to ascend the spiraling staircase.


	8. Chapter 8

"We're never doing this again," Elliot huffed as they made it to the top of the lighthouse. His legs felt like jelly and he thought he might fall over at any moment. He looked at Olivia to see if she was as tired as he was, and it looked like she hadn't even broken a sweat. She stepped up on the last step and grinned at him.

"Tired already?" Olivia teased. "You're getting old, Stabler."

"Hey, watch it, Benson," he said, stepping aside so she could step out onto the observation deck first. When she did, he heard her gasp.

The view was stunning. They could see up and down the beach for miles and there was nothing but the ocean stretched out in front of them. The morning sun reflected off the water, temporarily blinding Elliot before he slipped on his sunglasses. "What do you think?" He asked Olivia as he leaned forward and rested his arms on the railing in front of him.

"This is gorgeous," she said as she stared out over the water. "It's nothing like the views we have in the city." She looked down to the ground and nudged Elliot. "There are the kids."

Elliot looked down to see his children looking up at them and waving. Elliot waved back and pulled out his phone. "We should get a picture up here," he said. He looked around and the only other people still on the deck were an older couple with graying hair and large sunglasses that covered their regular glasses. "Excuse me?" He said, approaching them.

"Yes, dear?" The woman asked in a thick southern accent.

"Could you take our picture?"

The woman looked at Elliot and then to Olivia and smiled. "Of course, hun. Give me your camera."

"I just have my phone."

"Oh, one of those new-fangled touch screen phones. My grandkids have been teaching me to use mine. Let's see if I can figure it out."

"You just hit the camera button then the other button, Grace," the man with the woman said, looking over her shoulder at the phone Elliot just handed her.

"I know, I know George," she said, waving him away. "Go stand by your wife, hun. I'll get you with the ocean in the background. I'm Grace, by the way, and this is my husband, George."

"Oh we're not-"Olivia began.

"Sure, thanks for doing this. I'm Elliot and this is Olivia," Elliot said, cutting Olivia off and smiling at her. He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her close.

"You're such a sweet couple," Grace said, pointing the phone at them. "Got it. Let me take a couple more just to be sure."

"Just hit the button, Gracey," George said.

"Oh, will you quit. I might be old, but I'm not technologically incapable yet." After a few more seconds she lowered the phone and handed it back to Elliot. "There you go."

"Thank you, again," Elliot said.

"You're welcome, dear. I hope you two enjoy your time here. This is a place truly for lovers," Grace said, glancing up to her husband and smiling before looking back to them. "Ya'll have a good day."

"Thank you," Olivia said, watching them descend back down the lighthouse.

"What do you think," Elliot said, showing her the photos Grace just took.

"I think you should send me those," Olivia said, admiring the photos. They looked so natural together like they truly were a married couple, even soulmates.

The concept of soulmates wasn't something she used to believe in. She never understood how someone could ever just be bound to one person, but her thoughts changed over the time she spent with Elliot since the start of their partnership. It wasn't just being bound to someone. It was about being equal in all ways. It was the ability to disagree but still trust and respect them. It was about having a love so strong, and so deep that even the most ferocious storm couldn't shake them. It had taken her years, but she understood what soulmates were now and when she looked at Elliot, she knew he was her soulmate.

"Come on, let's get back down to the kids," Elliot said. "And we'll spend the rest of the day at the beach."

* * *

She decided to wear the bikini again and knew Elliot had yet to take his eyes off her while they sat under the beach umbrella that afternoon. He finally stopped trailing his eyes over her body when Eli wanted to go into the water. She watched him pick up his son and wade into the calm surf. He turned towards the beach and held Eli tightly as he let a wave break against his back. He caught her eye and waved and said something to Eli. Eli smiled and waved at her. Olivia smiled and waved back at them. She watched them for another minute before emerging from under the umbrella and into the sun. She approached the water and slowly stepped into the sea to join them.

"Livia!" Eli squealed when he saw her. "Ocean fun!"

"I know," Olivia responded as Elliot held out his hand to her. She took it and held on tightly, focusing on him rather than the murky water she was standing in.

"Surprised you came out here," Elliot said.

"Guess I was feeling lonely," Olivia she shrugged as a gentle wave broke at her knees.

"So the kids had an idea?" Elliot said as spotted something in the water, causing him to pause his train of thought. He reached down and pulled up a large seashell. "Look at that one, Eli."

"Big!" Eli said grabbing the shell from his father.

"What's the idea?" Olivia asked.

"They said we should go out to dinner tonight. Lizzie promised to watch Eli if we order them a pizza for dinner."

"Dinner sounds nice," Olivia said.

Elliot as he set Eli down and told him to go see Kathleen. He made sure the toddler made it to his siblings before turning back to Olivia. "Want to go out a little further?"

Olivia bit her lip and looked out over the ocean. The idea of going out into deeper water still scared her. She knew Elliot wouldn't let anything happen to her though. What could it hurt? She turned back to him and nodded. "Just don't let go of me," she said.

"I won't. Promise." Still holding her hand, he began to lead her out into deeper water. "Just brace yourself for the waves. We might have to dive under them."

"I'd rather not go under, thanks," Olivia answered dryly.

"We'll try to avoid that then," Elliot said, pulling her into his side as a wave broke against their chests.

The force of the water nearly knocked her off her feet, but Elliot held onto her. When they got past where the majority of the waves formed and broke, they were up to their shoulders. Olivia was thankful she could still feel ground under her until the beginnings of a wave lifted her off the ground and tried to pull her back towards the shore and away from Elliot.

He gripped her hand tightly and pulled her back to him, wrapping an arm around her waist. They bobbed up and down in the sea, drifting ever so slightly parallel to the shore. There was something freeing about floating out in the open water beyond the waves with Elliot. She forgot her fears as she focused on him and the feeling of his arm around her. It was as if the world melted away and it was just them, floating off into nothingness together.

Elliot looked back to shore to check on his children before looking out to sea. Olivia watched his eyes widen for a moment and a grin appear on his face. "Liv, look," he said, pointing off into the distance.

She followed his gaze and saw the tops of curved dorsal fins peeking out of the water before disappearing. She then saw the nose of a dolphin break the surface as another jumped gracefully out of the water and dove back in. She could hear excited shouting coming from the people on the shore as she watched the dolphins swim by them.

Elliot pressed his lips to her temple. "Let's get back to shore," Elliot said once the dolphins disappeared under the water and out of sight. "We have a dinner to get ready for."


	9. Chapter 9

Apparently Lizzie had been researching places for Elliot to take Olivia for dinner and chose a restaurant that was located down the road in the next town. It sat on the sound and allowed it's patrons to sit outside on the deck to look over the water.

When the hostess led them out onto the deck, the sun was setting over the sound, lighting up the sky with shades of red, pink, and orange. The hostess placed their menus on a table and told them their waiter would be right with them. Elliot pulled out Olivia's chair for her and pushed her in when she sat down before taking his own seat. The sunset lit up her face and he was almost breathless taking in how beautiful she was.

Her hair was glossy and the fading sun reflected off the brown waves. She was dressed in a red, floral patterned maxi dress that fell to her ankles. It was something he'd never thought she would even own. She wore a pair of black flip-flops to finish off the casual outfit. He suddenly felt underdressed in his pair of knee-length khaki shorts, dark blue t-shirt, and dark colored sneakers.

"Hi, I'm Mel, I'll be your server this evening. Can I get y'all something to drink?" The young brunette waitress asked when she appeared at their table shortly after they sat down.

"I'll have an iced tea," Elliot answered.

"I'll have that as well," Olivia said. "With a lemon, please."

"Great. I'll be right back with those," Mel said with a smile before leaving their table.

"This is beautiful," Olivia said as she looked out over the sound.

"Thank Lizzie. She's the one who found this place," Elliot chuckled as he looked over the menu.

"I'll be sure to do that," she smiled, looking back at him. "You know, I don't remember the last time I actually had a proper date."

"Yea?" He questioned as he looked up at her. "Well, I hope this one sticks out in your memory for you."

"I don't think I could forget this one, and it hasn't even really started yet." She looked down at her menu and hummed. "Everything looks good. I'm not sure what to get."

"I'm going for something from the seafood section," Elliot said. "It's all locally caught, so it should be good."

When Mel came back with their drinks, they both placed their orders with her. Olivia got grilled tuna with a salad and Elliot ordered a stuffed flounder dish. When Mel finished writing their orders down on her pad, she headed off into the restaurant to place their orders with the kitchen.

"You look beautiful tonight," Elliot said. He watched a soft blush spread across her cheeks as she smiled. "I'm really glad we got a chance to be alone."

"Me too," Olivia said, reaching across the table and taking Elliot's hand in her own. She wrapped her fingers around his and squeezed his hand. "I hope we can have more nights like this once we're back home."

"We'll make it work."

She frowned and sighed. "We're going to have to tell Cragen."

"I know."

"I don't want to hide our relationship."

"I don't want to either, and I would never ask you to."

She slipped her hands from his and rested them below the tabletop and in her lap. "We'll be split up. We're not going to be partners anymore. El, they could even send us to different precincts."

"You know that Cragen won't let it go that far. He's not about to lose his two best detectives," Elliot reassured her. "We'll be split up, and even if you're partnered with Much or Fin, I'll always be your partner. Remember? For better or worse."

"I know," she responded softly.

"We'll get through this. One step at a time, okay?"

"One step at a time," she repeated, her hand reappearing from below the table to take his hand again.

Their food arrived a couple of minutes later and they both agreed it was the best meal they've had since arriving in North Carolina. As they finished, the sun finally disappeared below the sound's horizon and the deck was lit up with strings of soft yellow fairy lights. Mel took their plates and asked if they wanted anything for dessert. Before Olivia could refuse, Elliot ordered them a large sundae to share.

The waitress came back a few minutes later with a sundae smothered in hot fudge, whipped cream, and topped with a cherry as well as their bill. As Elliot pulled out cash to pay the bill, Olivia smirked and stole the cherry from atop the ice cream.

"Hey, I wanted that," Elliot said.

"You snooze, you lose."

"Well, I guess I'll forgive you this time."

They took turns scooping the ice cream from the dish before finishing it off. Elliot left a few bills on the table as a tip and stood, holding out his hand for Olivia to take. "The night is still young."

"Yes it is," she responded, taking his hand and allowing herself to be led out of the restaurant.

When they got into the car, Olivia began to wonder where he was taking her next. They were driving in the opposite direction of the rental house. Her questions were answered when he pulled into a deserted parking lot of a public beach access point.

"Let's go for a walk before we go back," he said as he turned the car off and got out.

Olivia followed him up the wooden stairs that rose over the sand dune and led them down onto an empty beach. She kicked off her flip flops and left them by the stairs, letting her feet sink into the cooling sand before taking Elliot's hand in her own. He led her to the shoreline where the sand wasn't as loose and began to walk down the beach towards the pier.

The wind whipped her dress around her legs as they walked. They were silent, allowing the sounds of the waves to replace a conversation. The tide inched closer and closer towards them as they walked and it didn't take long before the cool water was rushing around her feet. The sudden cold sent goosebumps up and down her arms and legs. Elliot seemed to notice her shiver and stopped. He turned to her and took her other hand in his.

"You alright?"

"Water's a little chilly," she said. "I'm fine."

"Why don't we get back and warm up?"

Olivia laughed. "Trying to get me into bed?"

"Well, only if you wanted to," he laughed leaning forward and capturing her lips.

He dropped her hands, his arms enveloping her and pulling her close as he deepened the kiss. She opened her mouth to him, allowing his tongue to explore. Her hands rested on either side of his face, holding him in place. A soft moan escaped her throat as the kiss continued and she pulled back, smiling. "Let's get back before I freeze."

She felt like a teenager in love. As Elliot drove back to the house, he held her hand. She couldn't remember the last time she felt like this in her adult life. She's known love before, but never like this, never like how she felt for Elliot. He drove her wild and turned her on, but it wasn't just sexual. She felt so deeply for him. He was her everything and she couldn't imagine her life without him.

When they returned home, they found Kathleen up waiting for them and a half-eaten pizza in the box on the counter. Kathleen looked up from her phone and got off the couch to meet them.

"I put Eli to bed a couple of hours ago. Lizzie and Dick went to bed a few minutes ago. You two have fun?" Kathleen asked.

"Yea, we had a good time," Elliot answered.

Kathleen smiled. "I'm glad. I'm going to bed now. Night you guys."

"Goodnight kiddo."

"Night, Kathleen," Olivia said and they watched the girl disappear down the stairs.

She watched Elliot put the leftover pizza in the refrigerator before turning back to her with a couple of beers in his hands. She smiled and beckoned him to follow her to her room. Once behind the closed door, she put a finger up to him, signaling him to wait while she disappeared into the bathroom. She turned the faucet on in the jacuzzi tub and undressed. She stuck her head out of the bathroom room to find Elliot standing in the same spot she left him.

"Come here."

He did as she asked and walked over to the bathroom door. His eyes went wild once he saw she was nude. Before he could say anything, she took the beers out of his hands and was tugging at his shirt, pulling it over his head.

"Let's get warm," she said, tossing his clothes onto the pile of her own.

He didn't need to be told twice. He finished undressing and stepped into the tub. Olivia got in after him, settling into the space between his legs and leaning back against his chest. She turned the knob for the jets and watched the water bubble around them. She felt his arms wrap around her middle as his lips laid kisses on her neck.

"I can't believe this trip is half over already," she said softly, tilting her head to give him better access. She placed her hands over his, interlocking her fingers with his. She closed her eyes and relaxed against him in the hot water.

"Aren't you glad you came now?" Elliot said against her skin.

"Very glad."

"We could make this a thing...come down every summer...if you wanted."

"Hmmm, that sounds nice," Olivia responded as Elliot's hands slipped from his and began to trail lower down her body. She switched the jets off and before Elliot's hands could go any lower, she turned her head and kissed his lips. She let them linger there for a moment before pulling back just enough to speak. "Why don't we finish this off in bed?"

"I'd like that very much."


	10. Chapter 10

She took control that night and Elliot didn't seem to mind at all. She loved the way he gripped her hips as she rode him. Her moans filled the room as he pushed up into her, making her climax as he moved his thumb around her clit. When he couldn't hold on any longer, he cried out her name as he exploded in her. She collapsed against his chest and they held each other as their breathing returned to normal before falling asleep wrapped around each other.

When they woke the next morning, the skies were gray and rain was pounding against the glass of the sliding door. The ocean was rough and choppy and not a soul was on the beach. Olivia got dressed while Elliot went back to his room to change and shower. When they met back up in the kitchen, the kids were awake and Kathleen was making Eli something to eat while the twins both poured themselves a bowl of cereal. Since it was supposed to rain for the better part of the morning, they decided to check out the gift shops scattered across Avon and into Buxton.

In the first place they stopped, Eli caught sight of the hermit crab cage and began begging for one. While Elliot tried to negotiate with the child, Olivia excused herself to go look at the different knick-knacks and clothing. As she looked through a rack of t-shirts all displaying "OBX" on them, she was cornered by Kathleen and Lizzie. The two girls had mischievous grins on their faces and Olivia knew she was in trouble.

"So?" Lizzie asked.

"So what?" Olivia responded.

"How was the date?" Kathleen asked as she began picking through a pile of t-shirts

"It was great," Olivia answered. "Thank you for the restaurant recommendation. It was delicious."

"What else do you guys do?" Lizzie asked.

"We went for a walk on the beach and came back to the house," Olivia said, pulling a shirt from the rack to look at it.

"Didn't end there from what we heard," Lizzie smirked. "Sounded like you guys were enjoying yourselves, even if we were totally grossed out."

"Oh god," Olivia groaned, her face flushed at the realization. "Are you kidding me?"

"Your room is right above ours and you two weren't exactly quiet," Kathleen said. "It's okay. We're happy you and dad are enjoying yourselves. You guys deserve it after all the stuff you put up with."

"Well, thank you," Olivia said. "Still doesn't make me feel better knowing you two heard all that. Just don't tell your dad."

"We're not stupid. Don't worry, we won't say a word.," Lizzie laughed. "And you should totally buy that top. It would look cute on you."

Olivia looked at the shirt again and folded it over her arm before following after the two girls.

They left the shop with a couple of bags of souvenirs and a small hermit crab cage. Elliot ended up giving in to his youngest and asked Lizzie to help Eli take care of the small animal. "Your mother's not going to be happy about this," he told them as they went back to the car.

"Speaking of mom, have you told her you and Liv are dating?" Lizzie asked him.

"Not yet. We'll deal with that when we get back to New York," Elliot said. He wasn't looking forward to having that conversation with his ex-wife. Even though the divorce was amicable and they parted on good terms, he knew Kathy wasn't going to be thrilled with him dating Olivia. She always held a certain level of jealousy toward Olivia. Kathy had always been scared that he would run off with Olivia, and even though they were no longer together, Kathy's fear did eventually come true.

Elliot didn't regret it though. He would never regret Olivia.

They stopped at a small burger place to get lunch and by the time they returned to the house the sun had come out and the rain cleared. Since the weather was nice and it was one of the last days they had left at the beach, Kathleen and Lizzie wanted to go parasailing.

A couple of hours later they were putting on life vests and stepping onto a boat docked in the sound. Elliot held Eli tightly in his lap as the boat jerked away from the dock. He turned his head to Olivia and watched her look over stare out over the water. Her face looked flushed and she closed her eyes as the boat began to bob up and down over the water.

"Not going to get seasick are you?" He asked, rubbing her back softly.

"Let's hope not," Olivia said slowly.

"Well, just keep your eyes on the horizon if you start feeling sick," Elliot said, taking her hand and intertwining his fingers with hers.

When they got out into deeper, calmer water Olivia began to feel better. Kathleen and Lizzie were buckled up into harnesses and strapped in to take off. Very few things in life made him truly nervous, and watching his children drift up into the air off the back of a speeding boat was definitely one of them.

"They're fine. This is safe," Olivia whispered in his ear as though she could sense the terror he felt as he watched his daughters.

"I know," Elliot said. "I can't help it."

"It's okay. It's only natural to want to keep them safe, and they're having fun." She kissed his cheek softly and her eyes flicked upward to where Lizzie and Kathleen were drifting under a parachute. "Look, they're bringing them back to the boat now."

"Does anyone else want to go up?" Their guide asked as Lizzie and Kathleen's feet touched down on the boat.

"What do you say, Liv?" Elliot asked, his lips turning upward into a smirk. "Want to go up?"

"Hell no," Olivia said. "Not in a million years."

"Thought you said it was safe."

"Still won't catch me going up there."

"It's probably for the best, Liv," Lizzie said. "You can see the sharks in the water from up there."

Dinner consisted of leftover food that had been sitting in the refrigerator once they returned from their outing on the boat. Once the leftover pizza, burgers, and hotdogs were gone and the table cleaned up, they all went down to the beach to go for a walk.

As they stepped off the stairs and onto the loose sand, Elliot took Olivia's hand and intertwined his fingers with hers once more. He watched his kids run ahead of them, occasionally stopping to pick up seashells. He looked from his kids to Olivia. She was smiling as she watched Eli pick up a shell and show Kathleen.

"We can book the same house the same time next year," he said. "You up for that?"

"Yea," Olivia answered, her eyes meeting his. "Definitely. I'd like this to be a tradition. I didn't get a lot of family traditions from my mother, but I'd like to start my own."

"Let's make it happen then."

"I don't mean to be presumptuous, but maybe one of these years we'll have our own child to continue the tradition with."

Elliot grinned. The thought of having a child with Olivia would be a dream to come true. He knew how much she wanted a family, and he felt honored that she'd want to start one with him. He stopped and turned to her, his free hand coming to rest on the back of her head. His fingers tangled themselves in her hair as he kissed her.

"Olivia Benson, I'd love to make a baby with you," he said when their lips parted.

"I'll hold you to that," Olivia said, a smile spreading across her face.

"Daddy! Come on!" Eli yelled from ahead.

"We're coming," Elliot called back. "Someone's demanding."

Olivia laughed. "Wonder where he gets that from."


	11. Chapter 11

She watched the sunrise that morning, trying to take in every detail knowing she wouldn't see anything as beautiful for another year. She sipped the coffee from the mug in her hands and leaned back in the chair on the deck. The last week had been completely life-changing for her. Everything seemed to be falling into place for her and for once, she was planning for the future.

She was still worried about their return to New York and what it would mean for their jobs now that they were a couple. The thought of not being partners with Elliot still scared her. Her partnership with Elliot helped make her the person she was today. She grew and learned with him more than she did with anyone before.

Olivia knew it would be alright though because Elliot was right. They would always be partners even if they weren't physically partnered together anymore. And it wasn't as though she wouldn't get to see him. They'd still be working in the same place. They'd still go out for dinner and spend the night with each other. They still had this week that they shared together, a week where everything for them changed.

"You're up early," Elliot's voice came from behind her as he stepped out onto the deck. He took a seat in the chair next to her as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Woke up and you weren't there."

"I wanted to see the sunrise," Olivia said, sipping her coffee before offering Elliot the mug. "I can't believe we're leaving tomorrow morning."

"This week went by fast," Elliot said as he took a sip from her mug. "But it was good."

"Better than good," Olivia said smiling. "I can't wait until we come back here."

"It'll be here before you know it," he responded. "But in the meantime, let's make the most of the day today? One more beach day and the pool tonight?"

"Sounds perfect."

"I'm going to start breakfast," Elliot said as he stood and stretched. "Gonna make omelets to use up the last of the eggs."

"Want any help?"

"No, you stay here and relax," he responded, leaning down and pressing his lips to her forehead. "I'll bring it to you when it's done."

"Breakfast by the sea? My, Stabler, you're spoiling me," Olivia laughed as she tilted her head up to meet his eyes.

"You deserve it," he said, capturing her lips for a moment before pulling away to go inside.

Olivia finished the rest of her coffee and leaned her head back against the back of the chair. She closed her eyes and allowed the sun to warm her face. Elliot Stabler was spoiling her and indeed she deserved it.

Once she finished her omelet and helped Elliot clean up from breakfast, she changed into her swimsuit and gathered her things to take down to the beach. Once the umbrella and their chairs were set up, Olivia sat down and buried her feet in the warm sand. She pulled her sunglasses over her eyes to block out the bright mid-morning sun and watched Elliot play with Eli in the sand.

She could envision him playing with their child. Maybe she'd have a little girl so Eli could be a protective big brother. Or maybe it would be a boy and Eli could have a little brother to play with and teach. The thought made her smile. The idea of having a child was something that grew fainter and fainter with each passing year, but she had hope now.

Elliot joined her under the umbrella when Dickie took Eli to play catch with a beach ball. He dug into the cooler they brought with them and pulled out a bottle of water before guzzling it down in one smirked at her as he looked her over. "I'm going to miss seeing you in that," he said, indicating the bikini she was wearing.

"There are beaches back home," Olivia laughed. "You can always see this number on a weekend in the summer."

"Mmm that would be nice," he said in a low voice, leaning towards her, his hand slipping between her thighs and stroking her skin slowly. "Though realistically, I'd like to see you in nothing."

"I'm sure we'll have plenty of opportunities for that too," Olivia purred, kissing him lightly as he kept stroking her inner thigh. "And if you keep doing that we're going to have to cut our beach day short."

"I don't mind."

"I'm sure the kids would," Olivia laughed. "Come on, I want to go into the water. One more time."

"Getting over that fear, are you?" He removed his hand from her thigh and stood, offering his hand to her.

She took his hand and pulled herself up out of the low sitting beach chair. "Slowly, but only when I'm with you."

The water felt warm and relaxing. The waves were gentle as they broke and rushed towards them. Elliot kept hold of her hand as they waded into the water. They were soon joined by Lizzie and Dickie who were showing them how to boogie board.

"You try, Liv," Dickie said, offering her the board.

"Oh no," Olivia said. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"You'll be fine. It's shallow water," Dickie said, still offering her the board. "It's fun. You'll see."

"Do it," Lizzie egged her on.

"Alright, alright, but if I fall off, I'm coming for you two," Olivia said with a sigh. She let Dickie attach the wrist strap to her wrist and watched him as he demonstrated how to ride on the board.

"Just face the shore and right as the wave hits, lay down on the board and ride the wave to shore," he said.

"I'm right here," Elliot reassured her.

"Next wave," Dickie said.

Olivia looked over her shoulder and waited for the wave. As the wave peaked, she laid down on the board and began to ride forward rapidly towards the shore. When her knees hit the sand she stood and turned around to see Elliot grinning at her.

"That was great," he said.

"Go again," Lizzie said.

"Oh I think one time was enough," Olivia replied with a laugh as she pulled at the velcro wrist strap. Her knees stung and when she looked down, she saw a series of small scraps on both knees. Tiny beads of blood mixed with grains of sand and tiny bits of broken shells.

"Liva boo boo," Eli said as Olivia sat down in her beach chair. "Ouch!"

"You okay?" Elliot asked as he walked over to her. His eyes were focused on her knees as he knelt down in front of her. "We need to get that cleaned up. I'm going to run up to the house and get some clean water and some ointment. Stay here and relax."

"Trust me, I'm not moving, my knees are killing me," Olivia responded.

"Who's old now?" Elliot teased. "I'll be right back."

She turned her head and watched him disappear up the stairs and over the sand dune to the house. She leaned back against the back on the chair and closed her eyes, allowing the sound of the ocean and seagulls to fill her ears. The sounds of Kathleen, Lizzie, Dickie, and Eli faded into the background. She thought she could fall asleep where she sat.

"Olivia!"

The voice made her eyes pop open and she let out a groan. Sean was walking towards her, a surfboard under his arms, and a stupid smile on his face. She sighed and sat up. "What?" She asked when he stopped in front of him. Her eyes flicked over to the Stabler children. Kathleen seemed to be watching the scene play out and positioned herself in front of Eli.

"I'm glad to see you again," Sean said. "I'm really sorry for what happened the other day. I was completely out of line."

"Yea, you were," Olivia said as she stood from under the umbrella. "What do you want, Sean? You were asked to stay away."

"I was wondering if you'd give going out on a date with me another chance? I know it's probably your last day here unless you're part of the two-week stay vacationers."

She rolled her eyes. Olivia couldn't believe this was happening again. "My answer's still no."

"But why?"

"Because I don't think you're a good person and you seem to have issues with women telling you no. And even if you weren't those things, my answer would still be no because I'm seeing someone."

"Who? That prick with the brats who said you guys were cops?"

"That prick with the brats who said we were cops is right here," Elliot's voice came from behind her.

She turned to see Elliot marching towards them with a bottle of water, a cloth, and a tube of ointment in his hands. He looked furious and Olivia wondered if he was about to take Sean's surfboard and whack him upside the head with it. Part of her was preparing to break up a fight and the other part of her hoped Elliot kicked Sean's ass.

"I told you to stay away from her," Elliot all but growled. "You stalking her now?"

"It's a public beach, man, and I live here. You can't stop me from walking down the beach and talking to people," Sean replied, rolling his eyes in a dramatic fashion.

"Liv, you have your phone? Call the cops," Elliot said.

"Thought you two were the police," Sean snorted.

"We are, but unfortunately we don't have jurisdiction here," Olivia said, pulling her phone from her bag and dialing 91 and then her finger hovered over the 1. "Last chance. Get out of here or you're going to be arrested."

"This guy's had enough chances," Elliot said. "Do it."

She dialed the last number and connected with the 911 operator. "Hi, my name's Olivia Benson. I'm calling about a man on the beach here who's been harassing me," she explained, watching Sean's eyes widened.. "His name is Sean. He's about 5'11. Maybe 160 pounds. Dark curly hair and green eyes." She heard the operator typing the information into the computer and then was asked for the address. "We're staying at 10502 Ocean View Drive. We're right on the beach in front of the rental house."

"And this man is still there?" The operator asked.

"Yes, he's still here," Olivia answered.

"Does he have any weapons?"

"Does a surfboard count as a weapon?"

Sean seemed to figure out that Olivia was being serious and turned to run. Elliot was waiting for him though and tackled him to the ground, gathering looks from the other tourists near them.

"We're sending the police right over. Do you want me to stay on the line with you until they arrive?"

"No, no I'm okay. My boyfriend is here with me," Olivia said. "Thank you so much for your help." She ended the call and dropped her phone down into her bag. "Hope you like sitting in a holding cell."

"You bitch," Sean growled, struggling against Elliot's weight.

It took the police ten minutes to get to them. They drove up the beach in a white pick up truck that read "Dare County Sheriff" on the side. Two men in tan police uniforms exited the truck and saw Sean still struggling with Elliot in the sand.

"Sean Bowers. You really don't know how to leave tourists alone, do you?" The one officer said. He turned from Sean to Olivia. "You're the one who called?"

"Yes, sir. My name's Olivia Benson. I'm a detective with the NYPD," Olivia answered, easily slipping back into cop mode. "That's my partner restraining the perp, Detective Elliot Stabler."

"NYPD, huh? We're glad to have our fellow brothers and sisters in town. I'm Officer Daniel Fletcher. That's my partner Officer Steven Brown."

"Sir, you can get off him now," Officer Brown said to Elliot as he grabbed Sean's arm. Elliot got off Sean's back and stood back. "Sean Bowers, you're under arrest for harassment."

"We'd like to take your statements if you don't mind," Officer Fletcher said. "And I realize ya'll are probably leaving to go back home soon, so if we can get all the information we can from you, you shouldn't need to appear in court for this."

"Happy to," Olivia said, watching Sean being read his rights, cuffed, and put into the back seat of the truck.

Once they gave their statements and Kathleen, Lizzie, and Dickie gave witness statements, the police left, leaving onlookers gawking at the family. Elliot decided to pack up and take the kids back up to the house and away from the people staring at them. None of them were going to let Sean ruin their last day of vacation though.

They spent the afternoon in the pool before going out to eat for dinner. Olivia then decided to treat everyone to ice cream and paid for a round of mini-golf for them all. She couldn't remember the last time she laughed so hard as she watched Elliot hunched over Eli trying to teach him how to use the club to hit the bright pink golf ball into the hole. When he would stand up straight he would rub his back and wince every time.

"You said something about getting old?" She laughed as he tried to straighten the kinks in his back.

By the time they returned back to the house, the sun had long set and Eli was out like a light. Elliot put the toddler to bed and made sure all the child's things were packed up and ready to be loaded into the van in the morning. Kathleen, Lizzie, and Dickie each bid them goodnight before retiring to their rooms to pack up.

When Elliot finished packing his things, he went to Olivia's room to find her changing into her swimsuit.

"One last dip in the pool," she said when he raised his eyebrow and cocked his head at her.

"Well in that case, let me go change," Elliot said. "I'll meet you down there."

When Elliot got down to the pool after he changed he found Olivia floating on her back in the pool. The underwater pool lights illuminated the water, giving it a yellow-green glow around the edges of the pool. There was just enough light to see that she was staring up at the sky. Her eyes flicked over to him when he stepped into the water, causing the ripples to disturb the otherwise smooth surface.

"You can see the stars," she said, righting herself so she was standing. "You can't see the stars back home."

"Beautiful isn't it," Elliot said, glancing up. "Haven't seen that many stars in a few years. Think the last time was before Eli was born and I took the kids on a camping trip."

"I remember that," Olivia said. "You left me alone to partner with Munch that weekend. I know way too much about the JFK assassination now."

He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. "Sorry about that." He felt her arms loop around his back and felt the tips of her fingers running up and down his back. "I don't want to go home."

"Me neither," Olivia answered softly, her face buried in his neck. Her lips placed a soft kiss against his pulse point and she sighed. "I wish I could freeze time and just stay like this."

"Me too," he replied, pulling back to look at her. "But next year will be here before you know it." He cupped her cheek and brought her lips to kiss.

Her nails dug into his back as the kiss turned heated. He lifted her up with ease and pushed her back up against the wall of the pool. Her legs wrapped around his middle as he began kissing down her jaw and neck. He nipped at the sensitive spot below her ear, eliciting a soft moan from her. He kept one hand under her thigh, holding her up as his other hand came up to her breast. His thumb teased the perked nipple over the fabric of the bikini top.

Olivia groaned as her hands left his back and reached around her own. She untied the top and dropped it behind her on the pool's edge. Her lips returned to his and his hand returned to her breast, gently squeezing it. He trailed kisses once again down her jaw, neck, and onto her collar bone as his hand began to slowly lower beneath the water. His fingertips never left her skin as they dipped beneath the fabric of the swimsuit bottoms and found their way to her folds.

"Christ," Olivia moaned as his finger grazed over her swollen bud.

He smirked against her skin as his head dipped lower and down to her nipple. He swirled his tongue over it as he slowly began to tease her with his fingers. Her hips bucked against him, causing small waves of water to make their way across the pool. When she whimpered again, he decided to change tactics and slipped a finger into her and used his thumb to tease her clit. Olivia began moving her hips against his hand and he added another finger and began a slow rhythm of pumping into her as he continued to stimulate the bundle of nerves.

"Don't stop," she breathed, her nails digging deep into his shoulder blades.

He released her nipple from his mouth and returned his lips to hers. His tongue swept her mouth as he quickened his pace. He felt her walls begin to clench down around his fingers and she moaned into his mouth as she reached her peak. She pulled her mouth from his and breathed heavily, her forehead resting against his as she quaked. Elliot let her ride out her wave before pulling his hand away from her center and holding her close.

"Fuck, El," she whispered.

"I take it you enjoyed it?" He asked cheekily.

"Hmmm smart ass," she laughed, grabbing her swimsuit top and peeling herself away from him. She took his hand and led him to the stairs of the pool.

"Where are we going?"

"I'm not finished yet," she answered in a low voice as she led the way back into the house.

* * *

The alarm clock woke them far too early for their liking. At six in the morning, they rolled out of bed, each of them groaning and regretting staying up as late as they had. They each used their respective bathrooms to shower and get dressed before helping one another strip the beds in their rooms and toss their used sheets into a bin by the front door for the cleaning people to pick up after they left.

Elliot went to wake the kids up as Olivia made a pot of coffee and some toast. She cleaned up what was left of their things that were scattered around the kitchen and living room, lamenting over the final few moments they had left there in Avon. She poured herself and Elliot a cup of coffee as the Stabler children filed into the kitchen, each looking just as tired as they were. They finished off the last of the cereal and milk and returned to their rooms to get their things and strip their beds.

Olivia watched Elliot at the table as he sat with Eli in his lap, helping him finish off a piece of toast. She smiled at the two of them, capturing the moment in her mind forever.

Once the dishes were loaded into the dishwasher, the garbage taken out, and a final walkthrough of the house was done, everything was loaded into the van. Olivia watched as the sun came over the sand dune and lit up the early morning sky with purples, pinks, and reds. She knew at the end of the day she'd be seeing the sunset from her apartment. The thought made her sad as she got into the front seat.

It was nearly eight when they pulled away from the beach house for the final time. Much like their trip down, Olivia looked behind her to find the Stabler children dozing off.

Elliot stopped at the rental company's office to drop off the key before they left Avon. By the time they made it into Rodanthe, the sun was shining brightly in the sky and reflecting off the ocean's surface, signaling the start to another gorgeous day.

They followed Highway 12 across the Oregon Inlet and up the coast. They were both silent, and Olivia suspected it wasn't just because they were tired. She knew Elliot was replaying the way over in his mind just like she was. She grasped at every memory, from the first time Elliot took her into the ocean, to the lighthouse, to their lovemaking the night before and held onto them tightly. The memories would become the foundation of their relationship and continue to mold them for years to come.

Elliot stopped in Kitty Hawk for gas before they left the Outer Banks for mainland North Carolina. Olivia watched as cars with various different state license plates went by on the highway and longed to be in one of those cars going back down to the south of the barrier islands.

When the gas tank was filled and Elliot was back in the car, he took Olivia's hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly. He held onto it as he started back out on the highway. When they crossed over the Currituck Sound via the Wright Memorial Bridge, Olivia was already counting down the days until they returned.

_Fin._


End file.
